Lewis Hamilton is continuing to push himself to peak physical condition. Even with Formula 1 on a temporary hiatus – with both the Bahrain and Saudi Arabia Grands Prix cancelled in April – the 41-year-old has been putting in the work in the gym to ensure he’s ready to go pedal to the metal at the Miami race on May 3.
The Ferrari driver’s latest workout, shared on Instagram, shows a brutal core session that pushes him to his absolute limit. ‘Always pushing,’ he wrote, as he strained through a series of rare, highly demanding exercises.
It’s far from a conventional core workout. A wheeled slider features heavily throughout, as Hamilton moves from a variation of a slider jackknife into side plank rollouts, along with several push-up and ab rollout variations. It’s brutal – and necessary. F1 drivers need exceptional core strength to withstand intense lateral G-forces, as well as the muscular endurance to cope with races that can last 90 minutes or more.
Why Lewis Hamilton’s Core Workout Is So Effective
‘The point of this type of workout is to develop core stability, anti-rotation strength and full-body control,’ says Abbie Watkins, personal trainer at OriGym. ‘Using a wheeled slider adds instability, which forces the deep core muscles to work harder.
‘A strong and stable core is essential for maintaining posture and control under constant G-forces, so this kind of training directly supports performance in his sport. While it’s effective for his specific goal, it would form part of a broader training plan.’
If you want to get a taste of Hamilton’s style of training, try this core circuit.
Try This Workout
Complete 4 rounds – 30 secs on, 30 secs off for each movement
A1. Barbell Rollout
A2. Barbell Jackknife
A3. Spiderman Push-Up
A4. Push-Up to Toe Touch
A5. Copenhagen Plank (each side)How to Do the MovementsBarbell Rollout
Load a barbell with 5kg plates and grip it with an overhand, shoulder-width hold. Position your shoulders directly over the bar and slowly roll it forwards. Pause briefly, then reverse the movement under control.
Barbell Jackknife
Lie on your back holding a barbell above your head. Extend your arms and legs, keeping your hands and feet just above the floor. Raise your torso and legs simultaneously, bringing the bar towards your feet on odd reps and performing a crunch on even reps. Lower back under control. Keep your neck neutral to avoid placing strain on your lower back.
Spiderman Push-Up
Start in a standard push-up position. As you lower your body, bring your right knee towards your right elbow, keeping it off the ground. Press back up and return your leg to the start. Alternate sides with each rep.
Push-Up to Toe Touch
Start in a push-up position. Lower your chest to the floor and, as you press back up, reach one hand towards the opposite foot while maintaining balance through the supporting arm. Return to the starting position and repeat on the other side.
Copenhagen Plank
Set up in a side plank position with your top leg supported on a bench, ankle or shin resting on the surface. Keep your elbow directly under your shoulder and lift your hips to form a straight line from shoulders to ankles. Hold your bottom leg off the floor and maintain tension throughout before lowering under control.
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Ryan is a Senior Writer at Men’s Health UK with a passion for storytelling, health and fitness. Having graduated from Cardiff University in 2020, and later obtaining his NCTJ qualification, Ryan started his career as a Trainee News Writer for sports titles Golf Monthly, Cycling Weekly and Rugby World before progressing to Staff Writer and subsequently Senior Writer with football magazine FourFourTwo.
During his two-and-a-half years there he wrote news stories for the website and features for the magazine, while he also interviewed names such as Les Ferdinand, Ally McCoist, Jamie Redknapp and Antonio Rudiger, among many others. His standout memory, though, came when getting the opportunity to speak to then-Plymouth Argyle manager Steven Schumacher as the club won League One in 2023.
Having grown up a keen footballer and playing for his boyhood side until the age of 16, Ryan got the opportunity to represent Northern Ireland national futsal team eight times, scoring three goals against England, Scotland and Gibraltar. Now past his peak, Ryan prefers to mix weightlifting with running – he achieved a marathon PB of 3:31:49 at Manchester in April 2025, but credits the heat for failing to get below the coveted 3:30 mark…
You can follow Ryan on Instagram @ryan.dabbs or on X @ryandabbs_